Rosin-applying device



Dec. 31, 1929. s, MILLS 1,741,373

ROS IN APPLYING DEVICE Filed July 9. 1925 Patented Dec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HERBERT S. MILLS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MILLS NOVELTY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS BOSIN-APPLYING DEVICE Application filed. July 9,

The present invention relates particularly to an automatically actuated rosin-applying device adapted for use in connection with electrically operated machines employing stringed instruments of the viol class.

A machine of the general type referred to is disclosed in Sandells Letters Patent of the United States 855,021, granted May 28, 1907.

In such a machine, rotating bows, usually comprising celluloid disks, are depressed, or brought into contact with the strings, at proper times, suitable fingering devices being employed to enable the selected note to be sounded. In the type of machine referred to,

1 the actuation of the fingering devices, the r0- tation of the bows, and the depression of the bows into contact with the strings are effected by suitable electric apparatus.

The present invention is'more particularly Z0 applicable to machines of the class referred to which employ a note-sheet for controlling the electric circuits which function in the playing of the instrument. In machines of the type just referred to, the note-sheet passes from a music roll over a tracker-bar, or its 7 equivalent, with which cooperate a series of contacts associated with the electric circuit-s which control the fingering and the depression of the bows. Similarly controlled electric circuits for expression purposes are commonly employed. For the purpose of the present invention, it is unnecessary to show and describe the contacts and circuits mentioned.

In machines of the kind here referred to, the music sheet is stored on a roll, usually termed the music roll, and passes therefrom about a metallic roll, or tracker-bar, and thence to a take-up roll. After the music has been played, it is necessary to rewind the music sheet upon the music roll. Mechanism for actuating the rolls to feed the music sheet during the playing operation and then eifect rewinding of the music sheet upon the music,

roll is well known in the art. Mechanism of this character is disclosed, for example, in Sandells United States Patent 1,302,439, granted April 29, 1919.

The present invention makes use of the feature of an electromagnetic device for apply- Serial No. 42,459.

ing the rosin to the bows during the period when the rewinding of the music sheet from the take-up roll onto the music roll occurs. The circuit of the electromagnetic device is controlled by means of a member which presses against the portion of the music sheet which is upon the take-up roll; and preferly, the arrangement is such that this member operates to close the circuit of the electromagnetic device and maintam it closed durmg a per-10d whlch corresponds approximatewith the final portion of the transfer of the music sheet from the take-up roll to the music roll.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred lbodiment in the accompanying drawing,

which- Fig. 1 represents, diagrammatically, a

broken vertical sectional view of a portion of a music machine of the kind mentioned, the

view showing the take-up roll, a portion of the music roll, and the rosin-applying device; and Fig. 2 represents a broken plan view of the switch device which appears at the lower left hand portion of Fig. 1.

In the illustration given, A designates a rotary bow carried by a shaft A which is pable of depression to bring the bow into tic device F. 7 During the playing operation, the take-up roll C rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, and after the music has been played, the reversible sheet-feeding mechanism operates to turn the music roll B in a direction to rewind the music sheet upon e music roll. This may be accomplished,

for example, by means of the reversible sheetfeeding mechanism described 1n the secondmentioned patent.

The device F comprises preferably an inverted box-like rosin-holder 1 which con tains blocks, or masses, of rosin, 1", adapted to bear against the bows when the device 1 is in the depressed position shown. The box, or holder, 1 has an arm 1" which is mounted on a stationary pivot 2. Rigidly' connected with the arnrl" is' an arm 3 whichServes as an armature for an electromagnet 4 which constitutes a part of the electromagnetic device F. The solenoid of the magnet 4L is provided with a circuit 5 which may be energized from any suitable electric source (not shown.) Inter-posed in the circuit 5 is a switch device 6, which, in the illustration given, comprises a lever 6, a contact-member 6 pivotally mounted on said lever, and a co-acting contact-plate 7 'with which one line of the circuit connects. The contact plate 7 is shown adjustably mounted upon a stationary block 8,and adjustably "associated with the plate 7 is an insulation member, 'or insulated member, 9,

' crank lever having its central portion mountwhich serves as a rest, or'det'aining member, which arrests the contact-member 6" 1n its downward course, but which 'finally allows said contact-member to snap oil and come q'uicklyin'to contact with the contact-plate 7 7. Screws 11 secure both plates and the interposed washers to the supporting base 8.

-Both the'plates 7 and 9 preferably are provided with slots which permit them to be ad justed toward or away from the pivotally mounted contact-member 6".

The lever 6 is shown in the form of a belled on a'stationary pivot 12. One arm of the lever is equippedwith roller 13 adapted to bear on the portion of the music sheet which spring 15 with a stud 16 which proj ectslater ally from the lever 6". Rigidly attached to the contact-member 6" is a cam-like insulais wound on the take-up roll C. The other arm of the lever 6 carries the pivotally' mounted contact-member 6", which is pivotally mounted on a 'stud 14. The member 6" has an arm'which extends back of the pivot 14 and' which is connected by a light coiltion piece 17 which projects sufliciently past the upper edge of the free extremity of the contact-member 6" to prevent engagement with the contact-plate 7 on the up stroke 0 the arm which carries the member 6". A spring 18 attached to a stationary member 19 serves to maintain the lever 6 in such A spring 20 attached to a stationary support 21 tends to lift the rosin-holder 1 to a position where'it bears against a stop 2-2, in which position the rosin device will be free from contact with the rotating bows of the instrument.

The lever 6 is shown equi'ppedwith a spring-held pivotally mounted contactqnemserve in connection with the reversal of the sheet-feeding mechanism to set the same in condition for asubsequent playing opera tion.

From the description given, the operation of the improved device herein illustrated will be readily understood. During the playing operation, the music sheet is wound upon the take-up roll C. As the roll of the music sheet enlarges on the take-up roll, the roller 13 is depressed and thus moves the arm carrying the'contact-member 6" upwardly to a positionwell above the insulated plate 9. -Dur- =ing this movement, the contact-member 6 'cannot'come into contact'wlth the contactplate 7because the insulation piece 17 prevents such action. After the playing operationhasbeen completed, the rewindmgof the -music sheet upon the music roll B takes place automatically in the usual manner. During the rewinding operation the arm carrying the contact-member 6" descends constantly. -The tendency of the coritact-member-G" to come into cont-act'with the contact-"plate 7 is overcome by therest-plate 9, and as the arm continues its downward movement, the spring 15 is placed under in'creased tension. Finally, the contact-member snaps olf theplate 9 and rests on the contact-plate 7, thus closing the circuit of the electromagnet 4. hen this occurs, the arm 3 is drawn to the electromagnet,'and the rosin-holder 1 is depressed so that the rosin blocks are brought into contact with the rotating bows, of which the usual number, four, are illustrated in the drawing. The rosining action continues until the conta-ct-member 6" snaps off the con tact-plate 7. 'This breaks the circuit of the electromagnet 4L, and the spring 20 operates to lift the rosiner away from the bows.

It ispreferred to'so arrange the device that "the 'rosining action will occur during about the final one-"third, or one-fourth, portionof the rewinding operation. However, the plates 7 and 9 may be adjusted to control the length oftime of the application'of the rosin to the bows. The longer the contact-member 6" remains in contact with the contact plate 7 the'longerwill' be the period of the rosinapplying operation. Obviously, the plates maybe adjustedto'control-this period. Moreover, the apparatus may be-designed to cause the rosin" to be applied during any desired portion of the rewinding operation.

The foregoing detailed description has been given'for clearness 'of understanding only, and no unnecessary'limitati'ons should be understood therefrom.

WVhat I regard as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a musical mstrumentof the viol class,

a device for applying rosin to the bows comprising a pivotally mounted rosin-holder equipped with an armature, a solenoid adapted to move said armature in such direction as to move the rosin-applying device into contact with the bows and circuit-controlling means for said solenoid comprising a contact-p1ate and an associated insulation plate provided with means for permitting adjustment relative to said contact plate, a pivotally mounted lever having an arm equipped with means adapted to co-act with the music sheet on a take-up roll, and a spring-held pivotally mounted contact-member carried by said lever and equipped with an insulation piece adapted to prevent closing of the circuit in one direction of movement of said lever, said pivotally mounted contact-member being adapted to be arrested by said insulation plate during the other direction of movement of said lever and then snap into contact with said contact-plate.

HERBERT S. MILLS. 

